For almost the past eighty years he has been flying kites every day. There are very few people who manage to live their passions.
Dada, happens to be one of them. Since he was seven years old at a Parsi orphanage in Surat, to this date, Homi Pestonji Ghadiyali, 86, has been flying kites.
He has a huge fan following among children at Vejalpur in Ahmedabad, where he lives now. But their mothers request him with folded hands — in a lighter vein — to stop flying kites as this distracts their children during their exams. But that does not stop the kids in his locality from making the customary announcement “Dada Dabha par che. Badha aavi Jao!” (Grandpa is on the terrace, C’mon everyone!)
Homi has a philosophy for flying kites. “Kites teach you to be stable in the choppiest of situations. They help calm your mind, balance your thoughts, improve vision and teaches you to share — just as flying kites is all about sharing joy with children, youngsters and the old.” No wonder Dada’s blood pressure measures 120/80 on the manometer and he does not need to wear spectacles. But what does Homi do during monsoon. “Oh those are some of the saddest days. I do nothing productive.”
His wife Rhoda Ghadiyali, 67, says, “This man can do anything for flying kites. Before he officially proposed to me he asked me whether I like kites. I was stunned. I remember Homi stood top in an all-India engineering exam, just because I locked away his kites and threatened him that I would never give him back his kites till he passes his exams. Five days after we lost our 46-year-old eldest son, Homi was on the terrace flying kites. The eldest son loved kites like his father. This man has not changed a bit for the last 51 years.”
Homi’s son Khushru Gadiyali says, “My father starts his day by going to the post office and various banks. He brings back letters of all our neighbours, helps the postman arrange letters and deposits money for our neighbours. In the evening he makes sure that everybody participates in the kite flying jive on the terrace.”
kudos to yet another “gaando bawo” !!! Following what we love and doing it in the best way we possibly can! Heart goes out to him… i am sure he is the adorable old bawa, with his checked faded shirt and slightly tinted glasses and a warm hug..
bawaji tamne namaskaar.
Dear Homi Dada
i am proud of you that in this world of stress,tension and shelfishness at the age of 86 you enjoying what you like as well as sharing joy with childrens helping neighbours.like you in pune their is one parsi sir who is also above 80 who is still teaching maths and he is master in maths and many of his students achieve highest post in their career but this selfless man still living in rental house and so royal and who never gives importance to money.i am ordinary person and my son went to his class but he never demand money.in other classes where first they demand fees and they give admissions.this is why i have great respect for parsi kind hearted people and my heart alway salutes whenever i see parsi i cant dare to speak but from within i always pray for their kindness.i always consider shri j.r.d.tata my guruji and ratanji tata my role model.i am fortunate that i met shri russi m lalaji who is biographer of j.r.d.tata.
keep it up sir spreading your love.in this todays world thier is everything except love and purity of heart which parsis have and maintained from the day they come to india and they have never broke the promise they mad.
wellwisher
kudos to yet another “gaando bawo” !!! Following what we love and doing it in the best way we possibly can! Heart goes out to him… i am sure he is the adorable old bawa, with his checked faded shirt and slightly tinted glasses and a warm hug..
bawaji tamne namaskaar.
Dear Homi Dada
i am proud of you that in this world of stress,tension and shelfishness at the age of 86 you enjoying what you like as well as sharing joy with childrens helping neighbours.like you in pune their is one parsi sir who is also above 80 who is still teaching maths and he is master in maths and many of his students achieve highest post in their career but this selfless man still living in rental house and so royal and who never gives importance to money.i am ordinary person and my son went to his class but he never demand money.in other classes where first they demand fees and they give admissions.this is why i have great respect for parsi kind hearted people and my heart alway salutes whenever i see parsi i cant dare to speak but from within i always pray for their kindness.i always consider shri j.r.d.tata my guruji and ratanji tata my role model.i am fortunate that i met shri russi m lalaji who is biographer of j.r.d.tata.
keep it up sir spreading your love.in this todays world thier is everything except love and purity of heart which parsis have and maintained from the day they come to india and they have never broke the promise they mad.
wellwisher